Vatican's Number Three Furiously Denies Claims He Sexually Abused Boys in Australia

By Nick Squires
The Telegraph
February 19, 2016

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/vaticancityandholysee/12165543/Vaticans-number-three-furiously-denies-claims-he-sexually-abused-boys-in-Australia.html

Cardinal Pell, the former Archbishop of Sydney, has long been accused of shielding predatory priests in Australia Photo: EPA

The Vatican’s economy minister is reportedly being investigated on suspicion of sexually abusing altar boys when he was a priest.

George Pell, an Australian cardinal who as the Holy See’s finance chief is third in the hierarchy after Pope Francis, is the most senior Vatican figure to be accused of sexually abusing minors.

In a lengthy statement, he angrily denied the accusations, saying they were “utterly false”.

The Herald Sun newspaper, based in Melbourne, reported that a police taskforce in the state of Victoria has been investigating the 74-year-old cardinal over the last 12 months over allegations that he abused between five and 10 boys.

Cardinal Pell, the former Archbishop of Sydney, has long been accused of shielding predatory priests in Australia.

Australian police have compiled a dossier containing allegations that he committed “multiple offences” when he was a priest in the town of Ballarat in Victoria and later when he was archbishop of Melbourne, the Herald Sun reported.

The allegations span four decades, from 1978 to 2001, with the Catholic clergyman accused of abusing 14-year old altar boys and committing sexual offences against other victims at a swimming pool in Ballarat.

A source close to the investigation told the newspaper: “Alleged offences by Pell occurred as a result of both opportunity and grooming. They are very serious allegations regarding sexual assault.”

The allegations come just over a week before the cardinal is due to give evidence by video link to an Australian inquiry into abuse by priests in Ballarat.

He had been due to travel to Ballarat in person but claimed that he could not fly because of health issues, a decision which caused an outcry in Australia.

A statement released by his office in Rome said the accusations were “without foundation and utterly false.”

Pope Francis signs a cricket bat, received from Cardinal George Pell, at the Vatican in October last year

"The timing of these leaks is clearly designed to do maximum damage to the cardinal and the Catholic Church and undermines the work of the Royal Commission," the statement said.

"It is outrageous that these allegations have been brought to the cardinal's attention through a media leak."

The statement said Cardinal Pell had been exonerated by a previous Australian investigation into allegations against him, and insisted he would be again.

"The cardinal is certain that the police will quickly reach the conclusion that the allegations are false,” the statement said. “He strongly denies any wrongdoing. If the police wish to question him he will co-operate, as he has with each and every public inquiry."

A prominent campaign group for victims of paedophile priests called for Pope Francis to suspend Cardinal Pell, who has wielded great influence since being appointed Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy in 2014.

Cardinal George Pell (right) with Pope Benedict XVI in Sydney, 2008

“Our hearts ache for every Australian girl and boy who was hurt first by child-molesting clerics and again by callous church officials.

“We ache most of all for those who were assaulted as youngsters and were brave as adults reporting their pain to Pell and his underlings, only to be rebuffed, disbelieved and mistreated again,” said the US-based Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP.

Cardinal Pell has always denied knowing of any child abuse occurring in Ballarat, including by notorious paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale, who abused dozens of children over two decades.

Pell accompanied Ridsdale to court in 1993 when the priest admitted widespread abuse.

The cardinal’s refusal to travel to Australia to give evidence spawned a crowd-funding initiative this week to send 15 victims to Rome to watch him testify.

An Australian comedian, Tim Minchin, made a song called Come Home (Cardinal Pell), accusing him of turning a blind eye to abuse and callously ignoring the complaints of victims.

The song, which accuses Cardinal Pell of being a “coward” who refuses to “face the music” back in Australia, has been viewed on YouTube nearly 750,000 times.